When it comes to turning the angst and energy of an album into performance magic, Stars is matchless. Simply put, if you have the opportunity to see them in concert, don’t
There’s some wit here, and even smart anecdotes on our social media-driven culture, which will keep listeners thinking while they tap their feet, but with uninspired music backing that type of sharp cultural reflection, the result is a somewhat hollow offering from a band that’s shown they’re capable of much more.
Cut Copy fed off the energy of the audience all evening, encouraging dancing and blissfully singing along, and they left the Washington, DC crowd exactly where a band should want them: happily wanting more.
The Civil Wars eponymous second record, likely exemplifying the irony of their band name better now than ever, is an intensely melancholy and yet genre-expanding contribution from a band we may never hear from again.
One leaves a Rufus Wainwright concert torn between the terrible choice of giving in to their desire to listen to songs they just heard as album versions set against the stark reality that the version they heard live will almost certainly cause the audio version to pale in comparison– and this goes even for solo shows like the one at the 9:30 Club.
On their sophomore release Hummingbird, Local Natives engage listeners in an unexpectedly mature and serious album that divides its time well between showcasing vocals, instrumentation and emphasizing emotional melodies.
No one knows how long the indie-folk moment The Lumineers are spearheading will stay aflame but with performances, and sold out shows like this audiences will likely be able to see a progression and hopefully a maturation from the jam-based folksy energy into something more.
Authenticity, among other things, drives this album, and this band, to bridge the gulf between west-coast sunshine-pop and mid-west folksy rock. With the energy of youth and the buoyancy of hope and possibility, The Lighthouse and The Whaler deliver here with an engaging sound that shows room to grow and mature and will hopefully carry forward and be enhanced by their solid production, passionate lyrics and innovative instrumentation.
Centipede Hz is a step forward for Animal Collective while not really coloring to riskily outside the lines.
On Gossamer, Passion Pit is taking a step forward in craftsmanship, genre-bending experimentation and delivering once again a powerful and enjoyable album experience.
